Three hundred pounds
Language: English
In yonder snug cottage, beneath the cliff's side, And close to the pebbles that limit the tide, Were five little fellows, a couple's fond care, Who'd barely enough, not a morsel to spare. They sometimes were hatless when summer was hot And shoeless when winter in snow wrapt their cot; Yet up grew the boys that no hardship could break, And one of the five is my lad of the lake. That rivals were mine I had once to deplore, And every new day made their number one more; No maiden beheld him but glaz'd for a while, Bewitch'd by his figure, entranc'd by his smile: And what gave each motion additional grace, My Hywel's good heart might be read on his face; At church, at the playfield, the fair, or the wake, Unmatch'd was my Hywel, the lad of the lake. My father, o bless him! Few better, or such, Yet loves his dear money a little too much, Declar'd, if by fancy alone I was sway'd, Nor his wealth, nor his blessing, my Hywel should aid! I answer'd, my Hywel has vigour and health, And these to the children of Nature are wealth; Tho' my heart were a dozen, they'd all of them break, If still he denied me the lad of the lake. Now hear how my troubles and sorrows are past, How my father himself grew a convert at last; 'Twas when his foot slip't as he enter'd the boat, My Hywel uprais'd him as quick as a thought. He ey'd him with kindness, and gave me a kiss, And said, Kate, I should like to have grandsons like this; Be happy, my girl, and the treasure now take, Tho'poor, yet a prize is thy lad of the lake.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Three hundred pounds", WoO. 155 (26 Walisische Lieder) no. 24 (1809-10) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Georg Pertz) , "Der Knabe vom See"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2006-01-11
Line count: 32
Word count: 293